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Penny Jackson produced a film for Tuttle and Counterpoint, asking people in the street for their views on cultures and what it means to live in a multicultural society.

Penny’s starting point was words about the British Council’s work, and she used this to prompt strangers she met in the street to give their thoughts.

I think there are some powerful messages in this film: when I first saw it last week, it felt quite hard-hitting. Their views are disarmingly honest; there is a certain charm, too, in the frankness of their thoughts.

Bits of the film I found quite moving, particularly the man who was visiting the UK and valued Britain’s many cultures.

I wanted to make a film about the British Council and as I had come to the project knowing very little about them I wondered how much others knew. “Tell me what you know about the British Council?” I asked. I asked friends. I asked friends of friends. I asked people in shops and at bus stops. My family joined in. They ask me on a regular basis “What are you up to now?” Which actually means “Have you got a proper job yet?” I noted their response to “I’m doing some work with the British Council.” Everyone it seems, had heard of the British Council some knowing more than others with many saying “I should know- but I don’t”. My film takes from a market research technique and captures the many responses I got from a variety of people.

Before shooting I needed to get some idea of how it might all pan out, I can’t draw, so story-boarding is out of the question and as I fancy myself as a bit of an actress I decided to do a mock-up of what I thought the final film might look like, so dressed as nine characters I acted out various responses. None of the lines were scripted – it really is all one big improvisation and proved to be such a success I turned this ‘sketch’ into a spoof film doing some extra filming until I was happy with the result.

The screening of my two films, alongside Penny Jackson’s film took place at ICA on December 3rd 2009 with talks from the rest of the Tuttle Team whom have been working with the British Council and Counterpoint over the last few months.